Combined animated and changeable sign



April 18, 1933'. R. M. ANDERSON 1,904,955

COMBINED ANIMATED AND CHANGEABLE SIGN Filed Nov. 19, 1950 auoY inII/na"f" Patented Apr. 18, 1933 v UNrrv-laznA STA y i REN M. Annnason;oFcINcinNAVTI, onto'` y COMBINED ANIMA'i'fEnAND CHANGEA'BLE' sren k Myinvention lrela-tes to illuminated signs, and its object is to aiford ananimationfor` changeable appearance in: such signs `by very Y. simplemeans economically4 produced` onaA 53 commercial scale, as well as,'byequally simi ple means, to make such a sign changeable as to a part ofits display, so that theattractive-j ness of the animated sign may behad in a sign adapted to have part of its Vdisplay altered if); inaccordance with changes in the business advertised, or for theY sake ofvariety, where-f by the animation and the changeability are mutuallyhelpfultoward the general object of effective advertisement.

I accomplish the above objects.

panying drawing, in which-.-

Figurel is a front view of a sign stage of its operation;V 2% Fig 2 isasimilar viewof the same-in its next stagevof operation;V L l, Y

Fig. 3 is -a diagrannnatichorizontal cross section affording acomprehensive disclosure l ofthe arrangement of the various elements ofythe sign, their respective parts of thedisplay `matter, and thelightingmeans,fthe` section being on a plane corresponding to that of theline3-'3 ofFig-.2; w y 1. f Fig. 4L is a partial'vertioal section on: theplane of the line 144i o fFig. 2, with'thethick-L nesses of the elementsand the displaymatter thereon much eXaggeratedfor clearness; f .i

' Fig. 5 is a rear view ofthe front displayV the material, is such asto'permit the Vpro-1 vision for changeability of part of the display ito'be--integralwith one ofthese elements.v if' element; l f Y I 35@Fig.' 6 is a rear view of the rear display' element; Y j i i Fig. 7 isan enlarged front view ofthe lower portion of the front display element,parts i, being broken away and omitted for lack of 09' space;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentaryview of thesame,"

showing a modification; and,

Fig. 9 isV a similar View showing another' 'modification'.

4"- In my Patent No. 1,7 3.7 ,290, issued Novem#` ber 26, 1929, theexample is that of a glass sign element having on or atitsf'rear' sidecolor matter, preferably fused to the plate,"V vin patches of differentcolors or contrasting 5Q appearance, with'an additional patch atthe by.theV vice illustrated, for example, in the. accom@ A h "g patch asabove describe-dlp; Thevariation,

one therefore, from my. priorI patent, is notfsuch Application ledNovember 19, 1930. Serial Nol 496,686.

Ieaff-On Ofithose patches; ontrasting the one patch; so-,that a flasherat'the rear y, alternately causing the sign to be "seen Vfrom itsylight, or seen"'from Yreflected#lightl at 4the front," causesrintermittent appearance of thet appearing rst mentioned patches,producing` thei-llusion of animation. Myfpresent inVen-.;

` tion differsV frommy prior onejust described in having, fas one ofthe, first mentioned;

i additional matter-along `with the constantly patches, translucentsheet material of 'any' U .desired color, at the rear of transparentsheet" material bearing what answers `to the descriptionV of the` other'one of the Vfirst mc'entionedI patches, above;` the translucent sheethaving on its `rear what corresponds to the additional y. i"

'as to depart from its principle, but is Adictated by the nature of useof my present' invention; Y, that of a store, showiwindow orfbill boardvdisplay, or the like; whereas'the' ezampleV ern-A phasized in my priorpatent is a ceramic 'prod-if uct intended for that kind of display bestrecognized as similar to; the filling station signs, and for which f is`,adapted and affords' an improvementydue to.' animation. In my;

present invention, .my sign,` of the-principle",l

just-described, is constructed,` preferably',fo"f

lighter materials, is produced lby painting on .i I'

printing the displays on the materials, and

translucency is attained by selecting a vtrans- .f lucent materialforone ofy the elements; and;

I have chosen a simple example illustrating animation o f angureandintermittentv displayof reading matter; the twostages beingV transparentelement l is viewed from-V the front by exterior lighting, displayingthe rep-VA i resentation 2 .of amans head and shoulders, l and abovethis'reading matter 3 and-below ing of suitable translucentcolorksuch aspaint, ink 'or the like,`on,the rearfof thesheet orjelernent'l. jItisfthis` sheet that bearsethe changeable readingmatterlland 5, in a man-V ,0U

ner afterward to be described@i,`

this reading matter 3', allof which is a coat-1 as" 7) .heid to therme lFigf2 shown the 'same vviewed lighting, Which latter now becomesvrelatively 5 of l1ttle-efect,so that the saluting hand Got the" manl isrepresented, and the` additional.

Y* readingV matter 7, Y atjtle l right of @the .-gure,

also appears-ffV Yf ;-,z- Y As all of he displayfrnaterial,except.thechangeable :matter 4- andl-is on theibaksll Y the sign elements, it is,in "-.both Fig-v '11 'zand Y ying inlboth'stages'being lrepresentedb'ylong Y. dorm/11119111 Figa thesaaaiqaanyappealing;

ing matter isrepresented by very short dots.

,all'yacalled,` celluloid; this material being Y,yreadily-obtainable'inagreat variety-01:' colors, 30" and either transparent. ortra'r'islucent.k f )The intermittent.rear-Lli'ghtingis Vobtainedby-an'incande'scentlampl9 (Fig.-3) Withthe s'vvitchYflO,14Which-represents v some, lautomatic ,device, such-.as the Wellknownthermally actthe strips -14'and15cutfrom Vthe same sheets l yelements. are lshovvn 1n Figsig and 6', YWhere all display mattergis -Yindicatedin full lines, except thechangeable .matter4and*5,'YWhich is onthe front-ofthe 46"'element1 as beorel-me'ntioned-4 :The element illvvill `be :seen to bear merely YWhat isv seen the'stage Vof Figplwhenthesignis lighted fromv the exteriorfronly and .the element-8.,

i `which is understood to be'translucent Whereas i the elementlistransparent, is seen to have on Y Y its backlthe VhandY, thereadingmatter7,as*

f Jwell assmalldetails 2 ofthe featuresofthe man, which, as isWell-knownby Yfa'rtists,"?1nay V.be arranged to falter the expression ofthe face Yvfof theman, as for exampletothe moresmiling expressioninFig` 2' 'ascompared with'.

f' Y Thechangea-ble matter 4 and 'ylconsistsot l sepa-ratev transparent`letters v11 and12 l(Fig.Y-* n of the element 1 bysmalljv tabs 13f`formedby cutting'the' element"landrv` V bending the' small ,portions leftatta''ched,by

the cuts; these' tabs`13 Whichihoild the lletters f Whereas/the tabs 13of the 'lower line'-v are Y esemicircular, In Figi the tabslf are of' 1YapproXirriatel'y. oblong lshape the,v el'ongatiorrY?AV Y e being VYin{the 'horizontal direction of `'the read` l 'y ing-matter; andi'nYFig.9instea'djo'f-theYtabs, Y l Y'j65 'the'elementll" is Ynotcut,but strips 14fandf15- `Forr this reason, the 'tabs 13, 13Yor 1o t lV'I'Jr'o'videdsat frequent intervals, preferably as F1g52, indicated bydotted lines thaty appear-- v It Will beunderstood, hoWever',1thati-neitherVV stage, A,the actual appearance Wouldf-beullV Alines and shadesas in any sign; andthat'zthe l colors llnaylbe,black andwhite, orshadefslfof` 216? gray, asYA Well* as the other colors,` so longas'.iv'Y v theycontra-st with the colorof thetranslucenb rear'element 8,Awhich may be ofrany desiredv color answering to therequirements as toVcon- Y, "trast, just mentionedA Also, the ffront ele- 25Jment1may be ofany desired-color, so long as itis transparent. 'The most suitablematerial for both elements is'y'flonite,Y or, 'as itiisv usuloutvfrom'theielement-L Alsouniformity in 1`Yangd'2, andare heldbetWeentWo clear trans- Y are attached tothe front of thesheet, aboveVand below, made of the same transparent material as is the element 17.In any ofy these examples, the letters or other characters, asV theletters 11 of the upper line 4, or the letters and figures 12 of thelower line 5, or the letters 11 Yof Fig; 8,7orthe`letters11. of`Fig9,l1ave Y l I suchwoftheir edge portionsslipped behind the l v tabsvor strips as maybe presented'therefor..

ql/ .Y Y are'` closely as Willnotl unduly weaken the struc- 'tjureefthel nement V1, so fha a sussen@ number offedge portions of eachcharacter will be tersfm'aybef brought ltoualong thev line, in'Vaccordance vvithfthe ,desired l adjusting 'f and spacing ofthefcharacters.l'V lThe element-landv Y the changeable'charactersWill beunderstood;`

l V85. f `The elongation of the tabs `alonglthe lineof Y j' Ydisplay,in`lFig.v8', insures ampleholdingconl* tact Withl'the variouslyplaced characters; Y

to be actually of very thin material.;V

and in Fig.;9 the vcontinuous'strips-14 and 15 of courseAprovide.contact anywhere' AWithin' the range 'ofthe display. Thetabs13,513 or 13f are preferable to thel strips 14 and 15,

hoW'eveU-'inzthat they aremoreeconomically produced; being integralwith4V 'and Worked transparency of. theelement landthe'tabs is betterinsured than WhereAseparatejpiecesV are attached. 1 Such attachment,with cement v suchras is used for such materials, vand' With astheelement 1, WillalloW practicable unirr formityin transparency and.color. V lUsually Vtheelement'l and'its -tabsor strips are clear,

leaving .the licolor :effects to the translucent element 8. :Thedisplay'matter, including the removable. and changeable characters11,12, 11,Y or .11 t ,"Which latter are preferably trans; k

parent, alsolmay be ofl any desired' colors.` V.By havinguniformtransparenc'yfandl colorV Y offtlle element Y1 or 1'.: and the tabs ors'trip5, 1 110 Y' Ythelatter.arepractically'invisible in thedisv-ff"Aplay, `either f-fronr front exterior. 'or rear interiorf'lighting. Theillustrations ;-in Figs. ,l 7, 8 and 9 do not show this eect, as theyare` made to show `theconstructiom :rather than, thel effect, .Which ismore as shown inFigsY land 2, -withrespect to the changeable char-faoters. BynhavingV the tabs otproperl close spacing they-serve toY1hold..the characters properly at any required spacing, as is evidentl1 *20 l Y The assemblageoithesignisfrbest'seen l l in Fig.,-4,; wherethe! elements and displayjjj` matter are numbered toYcorrespondjWithFigs'. Y,

parent glass'plates 1G and 17, Whicllare` held Vtogether by a VJframe1,8.'Which may. be opened i 7oY l..

mayoccurfin practicalland Y.130V n wish to be understood as beinglimited to` therefore, while I have specifically described preferredexamples of my invention, I do not Y parent element, sets of displaymatter contrasting with said translucent element, one set of which isinfront and the other set of which is in back of said translucentelement,

at least part of one of said sets being removably mounted on one of saidelements whereby it is changeable, and means for intermittentlyilluminating the rear of said elements and display matter.

2. A sign comprising a transparent element and a translucent elementbehind said transparent element, sets of display matter con-' trastingwithsaid translucent element, one set of which is in front and the otherset of which is in back of said translucent element, at least part ofthe front set being removable and changeable,and means forintermittently illuminating at the rear of said elements and displaymatter.

3; A sign comprising a transparent element and a translucent elementbehind said transparent element, sets of display matter contrasting withsaid translucent element, one set of which is in Jfrontand the other setof which is in back of said translucentvelement, at least part of thefront set being removably mounted upon saidV transparent element wherebyit is changeable, and means for in- Y termittently illuminating at therear of said` elements and display matter.

4. A sign comprising a transparent element and a translucent elementbehind said transparent element, sets of display matter contrasting withsaid translucent element, one set of which is in front and the other setof which is in back of said translucent element, at least part of thefront set being removably mounted on thefront of said transparentelement whereby itis readily accessible and changeable, and means forintermittently illuminating at the rear of said elements and displaymatter.

5. A sign comprising a transparent element and a translucent elementbehind said transparent element, sets of display matter con-` trastingwith said translucent element, one set of which is in front and theother set of which is in back of said translucent element, saidtransparent element having engaging means uniformly transparent withsaid element,at least part of the front set ofdisplay matter beingremovablyv held by'said engaging means whereby it is changeable, andmeans for intermittentlyv illuminating at the rear of said elements anddisplay matter.

6. A sign comprising a transparent ,element and a translucent elementbehind said trans- 5 parent element, sets of display matter contrastingwith said translucent elementfcne set` of which is: in frontand theotherseto Y which is back' odi said translucent element, said`transparent element havingl at its ront engaging :means uniformly.'transparent with said element, at least partei"y the front 'set'of Adisplaymatterbeing removably held bysaid engagingmeans on saidufront, ofsaidtranse e' parent element, whereby said part lof saidV display matteris changeable, and means for intermittently'illuminating atthe rear ofsaidv elements and display matten* 7. @A sign comprising: a thinresilient trans-l parent element and a translucent element juxtaposedtol said'- transparent element, sets of disp-lay matter contrastingywith 'sa-id translucent element, one set in front and the otherVset'inback of said translucent element, said held b-y said engagingmeans wherebyv itis:

changeable, and meanstforintermittently illuminating atthe rear of saidelements and said I dispay matter.

8. A sign comprising two juxtaposedelei ments, one transparent and theother translucent, sets of display matter contrasting with saidtranslucent element, one set in front and the other set in back of saidtranslucent element, said transparent elementhaving engag-y ing meansuniormlytransparent with said transparent element, at least part ofv oneof v said sets of display matter being removably` held by said engagingmeans whereb it `is changeable, and means for intermittent y illujminating at the rear of said elements and said display matter. w

9. A signlcomprising a relatively thin resilient transparent sheethaving substantially parallel rows 4of tabs integral with and uni-vformly transparent with said sheet, the tabs in each row projectingtoward the otherro'w,

display matter removably and y changeablyY held by said tabs, andilluminatingmreans at l the rear ofsaid display matter.

10. A sign comprising a relatively thin resilient transparent sheet,engagingmeans on saidl sheet uniformly transparent, with said sheet,display matter removably and changeably held by said engaging meansrelatively thick transparent plates between which said sheet and saiddisplay matter are held, separable means for supporting said plates,permitting access to said display matmav no Y

iis

ter, and illuminating means at the rear of .said display matter. y

l1. A sign comprising a relativelyV thin resilient transparent sheethaving substantially parallel rows of tabs integral with and uni-Vformly transparent with said sheet, thetabs in each row projectingtoward the other row, display matter removably and changeably held bysaid tabs, a translucent element uXtaposedft said sheet, sets Y'ofVdisplay matteri Y f vcontrasting.with said; translueent element, f i

one set in front of and the other set in back Y l osaidtranslucentelement, means for holde Y 154 ingisaidtransparent sheet,lsaid..removably Y held" display matterfand said translucent ele-y ment.closely together, and-means for interv lmittently:illuminating at therear of szanilk translucentele'ment.

'1 U; V*112. -Asignco1nprisng two juxtaposed -rel- 'gfatively thinsheets, one transparent and the Y other translucent, setsofdisplaymatter eontrasting withsaidtranslucentsheet,` one set Y on saidtransparent element fer displayalonei SI5 by light fromV the frontof'saidsheets, and the other set inbael of said translucent sheet for K'displaylwithnsaidone setby light from'the f rear of, said .,slleets',yrelativelythick transTk parent platesjbetweenfwhich said sheets and;

' ,2G j'(jrlisplay, matter are" held, means for supportingv 'i saidplates', and means for intermittently supply'ngzfsaid light from therear of said sheets,

" K AVlispla'f matte'r anni:Y plates.. 1

f RENMLANDERsON j' mi Y

